


My Best Friend

by OtterlyDeerlightful



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Best Friends, Human, Independence, Inspired by Real Events, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, M/M, Odin's A+ Parenting (Marvel), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, The Starks Aren't Murdered, Tony Stark Has Issues, at least one scene anyway, support your local library
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29576748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OtterlyDeerlightful/pseuds/OtterlyDeerlightful
Summary: Loki meets a drunken fool one evening, and the young man quickly entrenches themself in his life. Loki soon finds he doesn't really mind.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Comments: 32
Kudos: 60





	1. One Last Delivery

Loki pulled up to the complex’s gate and rolled down his window. After another glance at the instructions on his phone, he leaned out the window and punched in the proper numbers. A few seconds later the speaker came to life with a plethora of background clattering noises.

“ _Heeeey_!” the loud, slurred voice called out happily from the device. “You with Dem Eats or whatever?”

“I am. I have your—”

“Great! Come on in! Num-number five-oh-nine. In the back…s-second floor,” the clearly inebriated man explained in spite of the fact that the delivery order already contained said information. Loki wouldn’t have found his way here if it didn’t.

Loki sat patiently idling for another second or two before sighing. “Are you still there?”

Another clunking noise emanated from the speaker. “Yeah, what’s up, man?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can you open the gate for me?”

“Oh shit! Sorry!” the resident laughed. “Got it, got it!”

At long last, a buzzer sounded to announce the start of the gate’s opening cycle. Loki sat back in relief and drove through into the apartment complex to make his delivery. It was his last one of the day, and he was dying to go home and get some rest. Loki just needed to drop off the food to this final customer, mark the errand complete, and he would be done for the day at last.

It took an annoyingly long minute to find a parking space in the, frankly, overly lavish parking lot. Loki grabbed the large bag of delicious-smelling food sitting in his passenger seat and headed up to the right apartment. Thank God the drunken idiot waiting for him had already paid for the meal through the app; it meant he could get out of here all the sooner. With this much food in a single order, there was no doubt in his mind that the man must be having a get-together of some kind, and the last thing Loki wanted to do right now was deal with even more people.

Loki soon stood outside the door of apartment 905 and rang the doorbell. There was a muffled shout from somewhere inside and soon the thud of something heavy hitting the floor. It might have been a body. Loki sighed and glanced at his watch. Someone was yelling assurances on the other side of the door that they were coming. He let out a yawn.

The door was flung open to reveal a disheveled, yet handsome young man around Loki’s own age. Bloodshot brown eyes took a moment to focus on Loki’s face, then the delicious-smelling bag of food waiting in his hand. A goofy smile spread across the man’s face, stretching what looked like a poor attempt at growing a still-patchy goatee in the process. It looked ridiculous.

“Food fairy’s here!” he cried, flinging their arms wide in enthusiastic greeting.

Loki held out the bag with a bored expression.

The young man before him happily accepted the offer. They snatched the bag of food from Loki’s grasp and took a deep whiff of what awaited inside. Loki was about to turn and leave when the doofy idiot looked back up and started talking to him again.

“Hey, you…you wanna come in? You like scotch? I’ve got scotch! Like, I’ve _got it_!” He laughed.

“As tempting as the offer may be, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline,” Loki grumbled. “Have a good night,” he added as he turned away from the door.

“Naw, naw, w-wait! Come on!” The man wavered slightly on his feet before leaning some of his weight on the doorframe. “You came…came _all_ this way to get here! You should…I dunno.” He seemed to think for a second. “You should come in and have a drink, it’ll be fun!”

Oh, for crying out loud. Why did Loki have to end up delivering dinner to the one type of customer he hated the most: the overly friendly chatterbox? They always acted as though they knew you, and seemed to assume that for some reason the capitalism slave who brought them their meal would want to start up a friendly conversation. Lonely old people could sometimes offer a cordial conversation, true, and at least the man in front of him wasn’t another horned-up woman in lingerie trying to reenact their favorite porno, but Loki did _not_ want to deal with this type of bullshit right now. He choked down an unhappy grumble and shook his head.

“I’m afraid I must be going. I have other orders to complete,” Loki lied. “I don’t want their food to get cold.”

The sloshed idiot shrugged. “Yeah,” he mumbled, seemingly to himself, “Cold nuggets suck ass…”

Loki turned to leave.

“Suit—suit yourself. I’ve got a—a robot that needs buildin’ and… _oh shit_!”

Loki was only two steps down the staircase when he froze at the sound of a loud _boom_ behind him. He spun around just in time to see the drunken young man drop the bag of food and scramble toward something just out of sight at the same time the apartment fire alarm started to go off. The man continued to shout frantically from somewhere inside. Loki instinctually sprinted back up and into the apartment to find what looked like an exploded microwave-looking device sitting on what used to be a dining room table. It was surrounded by wires, scraps of metal, and what appeared to be computer circuitry. His inebriated customer was trying to fan the mess with a towel as if that would dispel the flames that were rising from the contraption.

“Where the hell’s DUM-E when you need ‘im?” the man complained over the shrieking buzz of the blaring fire alarm.

Loki quickly glanced about, immediately thankful that the kitchen was so close to the front door, and dove for the small dust-covered fire extinguisher he could see sitting by the refrigerator. He hurried over to the scene unfolding in the next room and took aim at the smoke-billowing mess.

“Hey, what the—?” the young man sputtered while Loki put out the fire. He smiled again. “Oh hey, you decided to come in after all!”

Loki rolled his eyes, ignoring the idiot beside him and making sure that whatever monstrosity they had created was thoroughly addressed before dignifying the drunkard with a response. It took a minute or two, but eventually the extinguisher foam overtook the smoldering remnants of whatever the fuck it was his temporary companion had created.

“Make yourself useful and go wave that thing at the fire alarm or something,” Loki choked, gesturing to the raggedy old towel in the other’s hands.

He turned his back on the fire-starting asshole, put the fire extinguisher down, and went to open the nearest window to air out the room. Behind him Loki could hear the apartment resident coughing and mumbling things, no doubt about the terrible screech of the alarm on the wall.

After breathing in enough fresh air to clear his lungs, Loki turned around to finally take in his surroundings. The apartment was, at least before catastrophe had struck, a lavish and—formerly—pristine residence filled with high-end furniture and decor. The drunken mess was clearly from a rich family, which certainly explained how someone their age could so easily dropped so much money and uncharacteristically generous tip on takeout. It also explained why a college-age youth didn’t seem to give a damn that he had literally burned a hole in the middle of his dining room table and coated the surrounding walls with a defined layer of soot. The ceiling above the mess was a smoldering horror show that would undoubtedly make some contractor drool in anticipation.

There was still smoke hanging in the air, though thanks to the open windows and ajar door, it was quickly thinning. The smoke alarm, however, had yet to get the memo. Loki waved an arm in front of his face to keep his face clear of as much of the hanging smoke as possible. His impromptu host, meanwhile, was hacking away and nearly topping over from the effort. Loki assumed that even if there hadn’t been a fateful accident in the apartment, the man would be falling over his own feet. It was only a matter of time before they ended up on the floor. Loki sighed and walked over to them, snatching away the glorified old rag and whipping it expertly at the fire alarm himself. The device finally quieted after only a few moments.

“Huh. You’re good at that. You….you put out fires often?” the grinning fool asked.

Loki shoved the towel into the other’s chest. “Not regularly, no,” he answered with an unpleasant stare.

“Huh.” The fool stared down at the rag in his hands as if he had never seen it before. “Well, you’re good at it.”

“Yes, you said that,” Loki sighed as he took in the sorry state of the apartment once more.

What a damn mess. Loki jumped when a thundering crash came from the dining room table. Both men spun around to see that the former microwave-abomination had not only finally fallen through the weakened table, but the table itself had collapsed in on itself in a heap on top of it. Good thing the sloshed idiot was rich, or such a sight would probably be cause for panic. Instead, Loki was stuck listening to the other young man groan.

“ _Ugh_ , Rhodey is gonna kill me,” he whined. “He said not to blow up anything while he was gone. _Man_ , he’s gonna give me shit for _weeks_.”

Lovely. So this level of madness was a common occurrence, then. Loki turned back to the stranger beside him with a warning glare. The other was outright pouting, looking at the destroyed table as though a bully had kicked his sand castle. They glanced over to Loki, as if begging for dupport. He would not be getting it.

“Do _not_ do anything stupid for the rest of the night.”

The shorter man blinked, staring at him with large, confused eyes.

“Eat your food, drink some _water_ , and just…behave for the rest of the night.”

“Uh…”

“How much have you had to drink?”

The other man blinked again and gave a bewildered shrug. “I dunno, uh…two? Wait, no…three… _four_?”

Loki groaned. “Never mind. Just…go. Go sit on the couch.”

He waved a hand toward one of the two the plush-looking sofas in the next room and went to fetch the food from where it had been dropped at the apartment threshold. Miraculously, nothing seemed to have spilled. Small favors. Loki gathered up the bag and turned back around to attend to his temporary charge. Further wonders—by the time he returned, the drunken young man was already obediently planted on the couch waiting for him. Loki set the bag of food down on the nearby coffee table and pulled it closer to the couch for convenience. He began pulling out the various containers, glad to see that the delivery hadn’t been ruined in its fall, and setting them out for the handsome but disaster-prone brunette.

“That’s a lot of food…”

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes as he took the plastic cutlery out of its plastic wrapping. “Yes, well, that is what happens when you order nearly a dozen items at once. Here.” He set the cutlery in the young man’s hand.

He went to the kitchen, looked through the cabinets for a moment in search of a glass, and filled it with water from the tap. Loki brought it back and set it on the table alongside the food containers. He was glad to see the drunkard was already nibbling on an appetizer.

“No more alcohol tonight,” Loki repeated before picking up the nearby television remote. He turned the television on and set the remote back down on the cushion next to the man so it would easily be within his reach. “You will drink _all_ of this water, understand?”

The man looked up at Loki, food hanging out of their mouth. The brunette nodded dumbly.

“Good.” Loki glanced back toward the door. Ugh, what a mess all of this was. He should probably get out of here before a concerned neighbor called the fire department or the police. He did _not_ want to deal with that bullshit tonight. Loki turned back to the idiot sitting on the couch before him. “I’m going to go home now. Will you be alright?”

The other man swallowed. “Uh…yeah? I guess. You’re not stayin’?”

“No.”

“Oh,” he said with a disappointed frown. “You sure? I mean…there’s plenty. Oh, and, uh…I’m sure we could find something good on to watch!”

“Have a good night,” Loki mumbled with an eye-roll.

He turned away and left without another word. The other man said something in Loki’s retreat, but he ignored them.

Loki shut the door behind him, trotted down the steps, and practically ran to his car.

The car door closed, he rested his hands on the wheel, and let out a long, low breath. What an end to the day. He straightened again. Loki shook his head and started the car. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, marked the damned delivery complete, quickly logged out of the app, and brought up one of his favorite playlists to help him try and relax on the ride home.

That dullard up in the apartment was lucky he had given such a generous tip for this little trip. Loki huffed as he pulled out of his parking space. Even with the extra cash in his pocket, Loki couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t paid enough for this sort of shit. Oh well. At least he would never see the drunk again.

Loki pretended not to hear the faint wail of a siren somewhere in the distance. He left the complex and _finally_ headed for home.

Ah, freedom.

Loki’s own apartment was decidedly small and quite unlike the one of his useless customer. It was run down in almost every measurable way, and in constant need of MacGyver-level upkeep that had been fundamental in Loki’s building maintenance education. Things had been quiet lately, which meant that Loki was prepared for something to break, burst, or die within the next week or two.

He had three roommates to help keep the miniscule roof over his head, but if one were to ask him about any of them, Loki wouldn’t be able to provide much in the way of detail. Two of them were a couple, that much he knew, and if he hadn’t known such before, the rhythmic thumps in the middle of the night dispelled any doubt. They were often busy with their work and Loki couldn’t recall the last time they had tried to involve him in any of their plans.

His other roommate was rarely home, opting to frequent college parties at any available opportunity and rarely being home long enough to do more than make a mess in the kitchen or bathroom for Loki or the others to clean up. It was a small price to pay so long as they paid their portion of the rent on time. At least their absence meant that Loki was often left in peace. Between sharing a bathroom with someone who was rarely present to use it and having a blessedly robust lock on his bedroom door, his solitude was interrupted only sparingly. Loki liked it; it meant he wouldn’t be convicted of murder any time soon.

True to form, the apartment was empty when Loki arrived home. The only sound he could hear was the soft bubbling of his two roommates’ fishtank off in their open room down the hall. Perfect. Loki took off his shoes at the door, locked up for the evening, and headed to his tiny bedroom across from the kitchen. It was late, sure, but Loki didn’t give a damn about having dinner right now; it was too much effort after such a long day. He all but fell back onto the twin-sized bed before blindly reaching out to his rickety, second-hand bookshelf that doubled as his bedside table. Loki picked up the hefty novel waiting for him and settled in amongst his various pillows and thick comforter. As late as it might be, he was determined to reach at least a chapter or two before bed for his own health and sanity.

He ended up reading five.


	2. A Handsome Stalker

The next day was Loki’s day off. While a little voice in the back of his head told him that he should log into Dem Eats to pick up some additional deliveries, he was determined to give himself one day a week that was just for himself. His work shifts at the book store resumed tomorrow, and he was determined to take full advantage of the free time that was left until then.

And that started with a luxurious morning of allowing himself to sleep in. Loki curled around his favored pillow with a content sigh. His bedding was one of the few luxuries he had left these days and he appreciated any time he had with the precious commodity. Being surrounded by his soft, fluffy blanket and pillows allowed Loki’s mind to wander, his body to relax. It could be almost meditative at times, particularly on slow, sunny mornings like this.

At least, it was if his damned phone didn’t go off to unceremoniously to jar him fully awake. Loki groaned and pulled the blanket over his head, ignoring the interruptive melody as best he could. Eventually, it ended, but the damage was already done. Loki was awake.

With a groan, the young man gave in and slid from the beautiful comfort of his bed. Loki shuffled to his closet, pulled out some clothes for the day, unlocked his bedroom door, and then made his way to the bathroom out in the hall to begin his day. Ignoring the cracks in the ceiling and constant _drip drip drip_ of the old sink faucet, Loki discarded his shorts and stepped into the old bathtub. He drew the curtain and turned on the shower. Loki let out a yelp at the always startling chill that sprayed from the showerhead and quickly set to work bathing himself so he could get out and dry as soon as possible. Even after all this time, he seemed to forget just how long it took the water in this place to warm up properly. He used to love a relaxing shower or bath, but his current bathroom was nothing but a renewing nightmare every time he forgot his current circumstances.

Loki’s hair was securely wrapped comfortably in a towel no more than ten minutes later. He emerged from the bathroom to the sound of his phone, once again, loudly ringing away in his bedroom. Odd. No one ever called him, much less persistently. The phone fell silent again before Loki could reach it. He dropped his dirtied clothes in his hamper and picked up the device to find not two, but three missed calls from the same unknown number. Strange indeed. Loki tossed it back on the bed. If the mystery caller would display their phone number or, better yet, leave a voicemail for him, maybe he would have been more inclined to further curiosity, but as it was, what did it matter?

Loki had more important things that needed his attention anyway.

After enjoying a piece of buttered toast, Loki carefully brushed his hair, which had grown quite a bit since he had moved into his current domicile, and gathered up his things for his planned errands for the day. He grabbed a canvas bag sitting by his bedroom door, tossed it over his shoulder to lock said door behind him, and left his apartment. Halfway down the stairs to his car, Loki’s phone rang once again.

Ugh, fine.

He readjusted the bag on his shoulder and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Same unknown number, it seemed. Loki tapped the screen and held the device to his ear.

“Hello.” There was silence. Loki tried not to sigh as he unlocked his car door. “Hello?”

There was a soft shuffling noise on the other end of the line before Loki heard a timid “Uh, hey.”

There was nothing further as Loki sat down and set his bag beside him in the passenger seat. His patience should not be wearing this thin so early in his day.

“Should I know who’s calling?” Loki asked flatly.

“Shit,” a mumbled voice responded. Then, with growing confidence, “Sorry, uh…I hope this isn’t creepy or anything, but I just, um, wanted to thank you for yesterday.”

“As nice as it is to see there is still someone in this world with some semblance of manners, I’m afraid you have the wrong number.”

Loki thought he might have heard a voice of protest as he ended the call, but ignored it. He silenced his phone so as to not interrupt his music, and pulled out of his usual parking space to head to the local library.

The public library was his sanctuary, a place where he would retreat from the world and be surrounded by the artists and intellects of the world without judgement. A place he was welcomed regardless of his name, standing, interests, history, mood, or any other qualifier. The library would welcome him with open arms to shelter him from the outside world and the shitty reality that went with it, and for that Loki was eternally grateful.

Loki loved books, always had. He kept a running tally of titles from his part-time job at a local bookstore that he would often bring here on his days off. It was a nice system for him to support his community and, should a particular book truly strike him as exceptional, he could use his employee discount to purchase a personal copy from work at a price he could more easily afford. It was the best of both worlds, really.

“Hey, Loki!” one of the library assistants at the counter greeted happily when they spotted him. “Haven’t seen you in a while, how’ve you been?”

Loki offered a genuine smile. “I’ve been busy.”

“You’re _always_ busy!” they teased as Loki set his bag down on the counter and began to take out its contents one by one. “You’ve got good timing, though. Your Guardians book just came in, just hit the Hold shelf, like, three minutes ago.”

“Excellent! I have heard good things.”

“Me too, you’ll have to tell me how it is.”

Loki nodded with a chuckle. “I will give you a full report.”

“I look forward to it. One sec.”

He nodded and waited as the assistant retrieved his book and checked it out to his account. They handed it over and Loki ran his thumb over the colorful cover.

“Staying for a bit?”

“No, actually,” Loki sighed before tucking his newest treasure into the bag on his shoulder. “I’m afraid it’s grocery day, but I will be back later this week, I’m sure.”

“Maybe I’ll see you then.”

“Mayhap. Take care.”

“You too!”

With his soul nourished, Loki moved on to taking care of his mortal coil as well. A quick drive across the highway was all he needed to pull into a space outside of Top Shelf Groceries, a local chain Loki liked. He pulled out his cell phone as he crossed the parking lot with the intent of recalling the shopping list he had cultivated over the past two weeks, but paused at the curb in stunned surprise when he saw the list of alerts that awaited him.

_Missed call from unknown number_

_Text from unknown number_

_Text from unknown number_

_Missed call from unknown number_

_Test from unknown number_

_Missed call from unknown number_

_Missed call from unknown number_

_Missed call from unknown number_

_Text from unknown number_

_Text from unknown number_

What in the world? Loki had the suspicion that his number might have been given out to a too-pushy prick by some poor girl at a bar again, but he had never before seen this level of engagement from a failed suitor. With a hint of trepidation, Loki pulled up the short list of text messages from the mysterious stranger.

**Unknown Number** : Hey

**Unknown Number:** I no we dont actually Kno each other but I relly ned to talk to u

**Unknown Number:** Sriusly its important

**Unknown Number:** Look I don’t want to be a creeper but ur not anserin ur phone

**Unknown Number:** So sorry not sorry but ill see u in a min

The last text had been sent a scarce five minutes ago. What was this bullshit about? It made Loki vaguely nervous. If this _was_ a tavern reject, they were being uncharacteristically cryptic about things. He hoped that the girl who had given his number was safe, considering that last message. Maybe he should intervene; it might help diffuse the situation if the domineering idiot thought the situation was an honest mistake. Loki stepped aside to allow other shoppers to walk around him and let his thumbs fly across the screen.

**Loki:** I’m sorry, who is this?

**Loki:** I believe you may have the wrong number.

He took his phone off silent, not wanting to miss any possible response from the digital stranger, and headed inside to get on with his shopping. Loki hadn’t done more than grab a basket when his phone chimed.

**Unknown Number:** No I don’t think so

**Unknown Number:** Ur Loki right? From Dem Eats?

He froze in the middle of the produce section and stared down at his phone. Oh no, what was this?

**Loki:** Who is this?

**Unknown Number:** Yea kinda embarassing im the guy from last night

**Unknown Number:** Fire alarm guy

Oh, good God.

**Loki:** What do you want?

**Unknown Number:** lol I thought id be the 1 askin u that

**Unknown Number:** When ur done can we talk?

**Unknown Number:** I can wait outside no rush

Alright, this was officially concerning. Loki made a mental note to look into Dem Eats’ policies on protecting their delivery drivers’ contact information. Sure, it could be convenient when a driver was running late or something, but nonsense like this was clearly a breach of trust between their employees and customers.

**Loki:** I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Please do not contact me again.

**Unknown Number:** well that’s gonna be a lil hard cuz im outside right now

**Unknown Number:** I Kno its creepy sorry but yea

**Loki:** I still don’t know what you’re talking about. Where on earth do you think I am?

**Unknown Number:** U just went in2 top shelf groceries rit?

What? Loki stared down at his phone. How the hell did…was the fucking drunken idiot _stalking_ him? He set his shopping basket down to fully focus on the lunatic on the other end of his phone.

**Loki:** What do you want? Tell me now or you will be spending the rest of your afternoon in a jail cell. I don’t take kindly to threats, but I will allow you one opportunity to explain yourself. Tread carefully; I am not a person you want to cross.

**Unknown Number:** Woa ok down boy

**Unknown Number:** I think theres been some miscommunnicaions on both sides

**Unknown Number:** i just wanna talk honest im not gonna kidnap u or anythin

**Unknown Number:** shit that prolyl sounds real kidnappy

**Unknown Number:** look jus let me kno when ur done an we can talk an u we can both go home ok?? No funny busses

**Unknown Number:** im in the red car on the pharmacy side

He didn’t like this, but the fool was sorely mistaken if they thought Loki was going to play whatever stupid game they were attempting. Loki thrust his phone back into his pocket and, his shopping forgotten, stalked to the pharmacy side of the store to confront his miserable excuse of a stalker. He stomped outside and immediately caught sight of the other man’s vehicle.

Ah, yes, a _car_ indeed. The vehicle was a hotrod red Audi R8. If the moron thought he was somehow being inconspicuous, he was kidding himself. Loki grit his teeth and approached the car with his hands balled into readied fists. The driver’s side door opened as he neared and a young, familiar brunette with large sunglasses stumbled out and to his feet.

“Hey! I, uh, didn’t think you’d be out so fast.”

Loki was not amused. Had the asshole really expected him to simply continue his food shopping before moseying on out to meet him for a little chat? Loki tried to keep himself from growling in annoyance. He did _not_ want to deal with this bullshit, especially on his day off. He was supposed to be _done_ with this idiot.

“How did you find me here?” Loki snapped at him, “And what the hell do you want?”

The other man stared at him with a slackened jaw and arched eyebrows. Loki couldn’t see his chocolate-toned eyes behind the almost comically large sunglasses on his face, but he assumed they were just as large and round as they had been the night before after seeing Loki quiet the damn fire alarm.

“Okay, um…it’s both worse and not as bad as you’re probably thinking,” the not-currently-drunk youth said, his hands up defensively as he clung close to the safety of his precious Audi.

“Then explain yourself quickly.”

“Okay, look…” His former customer slowly and deliberately reached up to take off his sunglasses. He had terrible bags under his eyes and, despite his boyish good looks, looked like hell. Loki couldn’t bring himself to care. “Honestly,” the shaggy-haired man sighed, “I thought _I_ was gonna be the one asking what you wanted from _me_.”

Loki continued to glare at him and impatiently waited for their explanation.

“Look, um…first off, I wanted to thank you, okay? You saved my ass last night and put up with my bullshit and…yeah. Sorry about that. But then my dad found out and started getting on my ass, and you weren’t picking up your phone, and…I just had to make sure you weren’t gonna go and tell everyone about last night. Damage control, you know?”

“You’ve said very little for someone who speaks so quickly,” Loki grumbled.

The brunette leaned up against his car and sighed. “You don’t know who I am, do I?”

“Beyond being a drunkard and a nitwit, no,” Loki replied. “Nor do I care to.”

The young man groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Jesus Christ, Tony,” Loki could hear him grumbling to himself. “Only you could fuck up nothing.”

Loki crossed his arms over his chest. He rapped his fingers on his opposite arm in clear annoyance over the entire situation.

“Okay, so…I…well, _my dad_ wanted to make sure you weren’t gonna go to the tabloids or anything,” the handsome young man, whose name was apparently Tony, finally explained. “You haven’t, right?”

“I did not know I was supposed to.”

“Fuck. Well, at least that should make Dear Old Dad happy, anyway. Sorry about tracking you down like a psychopath. Um...honestly, I really did just want to thank you and all and…yeah, guess I fudged that, huh?”

Loki just stared at him.

“Yeah, funny way of saying thanks, I know,” Tony mumbled guiltily. “And…sorry for probably scaring the crap out of you today. Some thanks, right?”

Loki hummed in agreement to that. “Is that what all this nonsense was about? Can I get back to my life without having to worry about a spoiled rich frat boy stalking me like an animal?”

The handsome brunette cringed at that.

“Look,” they said slowly. “I...owe you one. Two, depending on how you measure it now. Um…” He scratched the back of his head, ruffling his fluffy hair even further. “Let me pay you back for your trouble.”

“You paid for your food last night,” Loki pointed out in a flat tone.

“I know that, but I mean… _ugh_ , um…” Those beautiful brown eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey, are you free this Friday?”

Loki raised an eyebrow.

“No! Not like that!” The other man threw up his hands again. “Not that you’re not a catch, I mean, uh, whatever. _Not like a date_. Just…a thank you. Both for last night and for, you know, not blabbing to everyone _about_ last night.”

“You act as though something more…intimate happened last night that I somehow missed.”

Tony snickered. “Nah, that’d make it just another Tuesday night.”

Oh good grief.

“But really, um…you like tech stuff, by chance?” Tony asked hopefully. “Science?”

“Not particularly.”

“Shit.” He tossed his sunglasses back into the car and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Free food and fancy snotty people music, then? What about that?”

Loki blinked slowly. “What exactly are you rambling about and are you finished yet?”

Tony seemed to be trying to suppress another groan. “There’s this fancy party to open the new science center near here and I can get you VIP status. If you want to come, I mean. It might be kinda boring, but there’s an endless buffet, a ton of tech demonstrations, and they don’t card you at the open bar.”

“A moment ago you were worried I might have whispered your deepest secrets to the newspapers. Now you are inviting me to some sort of gala.”

“Well it sounds crazy if you say it like _that_ ,” Tony whined. “Look, you don’t have to come, okay? I’ll give ‘em your name so you can get in and you can come or not, whatever you want. Open invitation, no pressure.”

Loki rolled his eyes.

Clearly giving up by this point, Tony sighed and turned away to duck back into his Audi. “I’ll text you the details. I promise I won’t bother you again, okay?”

Promises, promises. Loki stifled a yawn. He waited for the oaf to leave.

“Just a fair warning, though. Uh, if you _do_ end up going to a newspaper or something…just letting you know that my dad’ll come for your ass like a fly on shit. So…yeah, trust me, you don’t want that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Loki deadpanned.

“Yeah.”

The two of them stared at one another for a few awkward seconds. Eventually, Tony reached for the door.

“Sorry and thanks again,” he mumbled. “See ya.”

The car door closed and Tony pulled away. Loki watched the Audi disappear around the corner of the store heading back toward the highway and sighed. Loki wanted to think that that was the last he would see of the creepy ass, but considering that’s what he had thought the night prior, he wasn’t feeling very hopeful. The young man turned around to head back inside and finally get on with his grocery shopping. His phone buzzed in his pocket, but Loki pretended not to notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony, no...


	3. Something In Common

The rest of the week was uneventful for Loki. Food deliveries, checking out customers at the bookshop, cooking meager dinners for himself, and engaging in quiet activities in the safety and comfort of his bed in the evening. It was a simple and uneventful life, but at least it was his own, and with any luck it would eventually evolve into something more. The routine nature of it all was a strangely cleansing experience and, best of all, it helped him to completely forget about the out-of-touch idiot he had encountered just a few days earlier.

It was Friday, just before lunch, when the power went out. The news feed on Loki’s phone described it as some vehicle accident taking down some sort of infrastructure. And it extended just enough to be a nuisance, it seemed. Luckily for Loki, it only left him with little more than an hour to sit and twiddle his thumbs at work before he was able to head home for the day. Normally, he would have logged into Dem Eats in search of some client orders, but with so many immediate businesses also without power, it seemed like all he would manage to do is run down his cell battery while putting extra wear and tear on his car driving farther out to find work. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Loki decided to head home and call it a day until the power returned.

A nap, a candlelit shower, and some reading later, the electricity still hadn’t returned.

Loki could hear his usually absent roommate’s return home, as well as his ranting and raving about how _bullshit_ it was that his plans had been cancelled. Loki tried to block out the rowdy child’s temper tantrum as they banged kitchen cabinets and complained about the awful and unfair state of the world. Loki could only roll his eyes at their naivety. Through the wall, he could hear his other roommates already feeling _inspired_ by the lack of any electronic entertainment. There was no doubt in Loki’s mind that the amount of noise in his thin-walled home was only going to increase as they marched toward evening.

It was only when the loudest and unhappiest of his roommates began complaining to someone over the phone about some big party potentially being cancelled due to the blackout that Loki suddenly recalled that he actually had an alternative to spending his evening listening to bitching coming through one wall and the sounds of marathon sex seeping through the other. He pulled out his cellphone, took it off of airplane mode, and pulled up his alcoholic acquaintance’s texts from earlier that week. A quick cross-reference with the internet’s news reports later, and Loki was happy to find that the event was well outside of the range of the darkened neighborhoods. It would be a bit of a drive, but at least it could be a decent—and free—escape from his apartment for the evening.

Decision made, Loki pulled out his nearly-forgotten suit that had been pushed to the back of his closet. He unzipped the garment bag and began to change. It was strange to be wearing such formal clothes again, he quickly decided. He somehow felt out of place, his black shirt and pale emerald tie no longer feeling like the second skin that it once did. Strange how things could change so quickly. He decided to pull his hair back in a low pony tail to appear a bit more presentable and put on his blazer to complete the outfit. Loki checked himself in a hand mirror in the waning light of his window to make sure everything was in its proper place before digging out his old dress shoes to complete his transformation.

“What’re _you_ all dressed up for?” his sullen roommate asked when Loki finally emerged from his bedroom. “Don’t tell me you have a hot date.”

Loki did his best not to shoot daggers at the jackass for his mocking tone. Loki was a handsome man; there was no reason to think he _couldn’t_ find a date if he so desired. Just because he had standards—unlike some with whom he lived—didn’t mean it should be press-stopping news for him to go out for a nice evening.

“I have been invited to the opening of the new Science Museum and Research Center,” Loki answered smugly as he locked his bedroom door. “It’s an exclusive gala with a strict dress code.”

“ _Pfft_! Sure,” his roommate answered half-heartedly as he balanced the chair he was sitting on as he leaned back from the kitchen table with his glowing phone rammed up into his face. “Have fun I guess.”

_I guess_ , indeed. Loki had no idea what to expect as he headed down to his car. Tony-the-Drunk had _said_ that Loki would have an open invitation to the event, but he had no idea if the fool had actually done anything to follow through on his promise. He could be driving all this way for nothing.

Well, he hadn’t snuck into anything for quite some time. Maybe tonight would be an opportunity to brush up on those skills. Loki smirked at the thought as he drove, almost hoping for an opportunity to cause some mischief again. Ah, nostalgia.

The sun was setting when Loki pulled up to the science center. The front courtyard of the expensive-looking complex was alight with glimmering gowns and dapper-looking gentlemen. Yes, it was certainly a familiar sight that Loki now realized that he didn’t miss at all. At least there would be free food. Without the ability to cook at home right now, that alone might be worth the trip. If he could get in, that is. Loki pulled up to the curb and, taking a deep breath, put the vehicle in park and stepped out.

The attendant looked him up and down as they approached. “May I…?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Loki glanced down at his vehicle. His Volkswagen Arteon may not be the newest model, but it shouldn’t look _too_ out of place in the parking garage. He could only imagine how terribly he might have stuck out had it not been for his mother’s intervention on that particular front. He would have to thank her again next they spoke. Loki received his receipt and headed toward the science center as the valet took care of his car.

“Name, sir?” a second event attendant asked as he approached the podium that separated the average riff-raff and the elite inside.

“Loki…er, Friggason,” he provided reluctantly.

Loki waited for the moment of truth as the attendant looked through her list.

“Yes, here we are.” She handed him a small identifying pin with a welcoming smile. “Have a wonderful evening, Mr. Friggason.”

Huh. So Tony hadn’t been kidding. Who could have predicted that?

Free of any social expectation to dictate his actions, Loki pondered where to direct his attention. He quickly found a server walking about with an appetizer tray and happily plucked a few of the free treats to nibble on as he wandered about the haughty crowd looking for something of interest.

Loki happily discovered that Tony also hadn’t been lying when he said there would be science demonstrations. While he had never been terribly interested in learning the inner workings of computers and machines himself, it certainly didn’t mean that the young man couldn’t be impressed by the end results of such work. He happily nibbled on his hors d’oeuvres as men and women showed off various cutting-edge contraptions or shared the theoretical building blocks that would lead to future scientific advancements. The entire thing was rather interesting. If nothing else, Loki felt a strange sense of relief to be walking among people who showed a level of intellect his surroundings so often lacked.

“Is that you, Loki?”

He immediately felt his spine stiffen at the familiar voice. Steadying his expression, Loki turned to face the other man. Hogun was a friend of his brother’s, and Loki could only pray that his presence didn’t mean the thundering idiot was also waiting somewhere in the crowd.

“It _is_ you,” Hogun said not exactly with a smile, but a look of mild intrigue. “I thought you had gone to study abroad.”

Loki grit his teeth as the knife twisted painfully in his chest. _Study abroad_. Of course his fa—Odin would cover things up with such a story. Loki had always wanted to go abroad on his own, after all. He still did. It was a believable rouse, and one that so easily kept Loki’s whereabouts both out of sight and out of mind of his family’s social circles. What a despicable excuse of a man.

“It’s good to see you again,” Loki forced himself to say with a smile that was so false that it nearly hurt. “Though I’m not used to seeing you alone.”

Hogun laughed. He rolled his eyes before taking a sip of what looked like champaign. “My mother gave a sizable donation to the laboratory and they insisted that we be given a seat of honor at the opening.”

“Ah,” Loki said with an understanding nod. “Ass-kissing obligation, then. That explains it.”

Hogun nearly choked on his drink. Loki tossed a cashew into his mouth as he watched his brother’s friend cough for a few seconds as he regained control. Hogun shook his head.

“I, uh…” He coughed again. “…see you haven’t changed at all, Loki. Is Thor here with you?”

Good. If Hogun was asking such a question it meant that Loki probably didn’t need to worry about running into his so-called elder sibling.

“Just me, I’m afraid. I was curious to see the demonstrations.”

The other young man looked skeptical. Loki noticed how Hogun’s eyes flickered briefly to the pin on his jacket and gave a sly smile. The man must be getting tipsy already; he was rarely such a chatterbox, and Loki longed for their usual level of interaction to return.

“This event is by invitation only, Loki. Dare I ask who you _charmed_ such an invite from? And why?”

“I received an invitation from a friend.” Well if _that_ wasn’t a terrible stretch. “I am merely here to show support.”

“I see.”

Loki was about to respond to the suspicious look on Hogun’s stupid face when a much louder voice from somewhere nearby caught both of their attention. They turned their heads to see what the commotion was about.

“It’s _brilliant_!”

“It’s drawing board at _best_ , Tony.” The older gentleman chastised with a clear frown. “I told you to leave it at home. _Why_ is it here?”

Loki blinked, staring in shock when he realized that he recognized the elder of the two: Howard Stark, the famous entrepreneur. And the short brunette arguing with him was…

“Tony?” Loki breathed in awe.

Tony…as in Tony _Stark_. The alcoholic idiot who ordered massive amounts of food and exploded microwaves in his own dining room was the child prodigy of one of the most successful businessmen in the world.

Oh, heavens, and Loki had threatened to have him arrested for stalking, hadn’t he?

Tony and his father were oblivious to the panicked youth watching their squabble. Tony was too busy yanking what looked like a large silver briefcase out of Howard Stark’s grasp and snapping at the man.

“Because he’s genius and he’s going to change the world!”

“ _Tony_ , it’s not a _he_. You act like all of your toys are…are _pets_! Like they’re—”

“Hey!”

“I said _no_ , Tony, and that’s final. This isn’t a science fair—”

“Yes it is! That is _literally_ what this is!”

“—and you can’t just take over Stark Industries’ presentation exhibition because you want attention. Stop acting like such a child. You’re embarrassing me.”

Loki couldn’t see Tony’s face from where he was standing, but he could imagine the look of distain that must be on display when hearing the young man’s low tone.

“Well I’m terribly sorry for _that_ ,” Tony growled as he clutched the silver case to his body. “Wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of anyone who matters.”

Loki watched as the heir to Stark Industries stalked off into the crowd, leaving him dumbfounded. He was only reminded of his current company when Hogun gave a subtle snort behind him.

“Poor Stark.”

Loki nodded. “Indeed. I’m curious to see what may have been in that case.”

“Case? I meant Howard.”

Loki spun around. “What?”

“His son may be a genius with electronics,” Hogun said with a shrug, “But he’s a petulant child.”

Loki frowned. He did not know Tony, not really, but something in Hogun’s tone lit a spark of familiar anger within him. Who was he to judge the young man? Tony had clearly wanted to display the fruits of -his labor only to be shut down by his father in front of a gross number of high-ranking peers. Loki knew the strangely specific feeling well. If anything, Tony’s quick exit had been subdued compared to his own past actions. Actions to which Hogun was well aware.

“And what is so terrible about that?” Loki hissed. Hogun didn’t answer fast enough to Loki’s liking. “I would appreciate it if you did not insult the very individual who invited me to this event in front of me,” he warned with a dark gaze. Loki tossed another cashew into his mouth and bit down with a soft crunch. “Excuse me.”

Loki turned away from the stunned imbecile and retreated into the safe anonymity of the crowd.

“What? Loki! You...know Tony Stark? Loki!”

Loki blatantly ignored the buffoon behind him. Loki refused to listen to one of his brother’s so-called friends berate another as they so often did himself growing up. Tony may be tremendously faulted, but he did not deserve ridicule for simply not living up to his father’s expectations at a stuffy formal event for rich snobs.

Fuck these people. Fuck everyone.


	4. Formal Introductions

In spite of the wanting public that filled it, Loki had to admit that the science center itself was rather nice. It was modern and open, had ample sources of natural light, and—to Loki’s pleasant surprise—a lovely courtyard complete with a tall fountain at its center. It was, no doubt, designed as a temporary reprieve from the workstations of the center’s future employees and a pleasant oasis for the various visitors and representatives that would soon tour its halls. It also appeared to act as an open-air sanctuary for those who were spurned by their families.

Loki spotted Tony sitting a short distance away from the fountain almost the moment he entered the courtyard. He was sat on a bench with the silver briefcase Loki had spied earlier. It was open, the young man hunched over it. A faint glow emanated from something within the case, an electronic screen from the look of it. It washed Tony in a pale light, illuminating him just enough for Loki to see that he appeared to be speaking into what looked like a microphone. Interesting.

Loki always did love a puzzle, and it seemed that this Tony Stark was turning out to be an intriguing one.

“Did you get lost on your way to the buffet as well?” Loki asked with a smirk, delighting in how much the other jumped at hearing his voice.

Tony looked up, blinking and squinting slightly as his eyes readjusted from the brightness of his screen to the much dimmer light of the courtyard. Loki could pinpoint the moment that Tony recognized him by the wide smile that swept his face.

“Hey!” he greeted excitedly while he scrambled to his feet. “You came!”

“So it appears,” Loki sighed in faux boredom. “It seems even I have the occasional lapse in judgement.”

Tony tucked his hands into his pockets and offered a mildly sheepish shrug. “Hopefully the invite’s a decent enough apology for being a creepy stalker?”

“I’m afraid the jury is still out on that, considering my full name was on the attendee list and I don’t recall giving you any such information.”

“Yeah, uh…probably not helping my case much, huh?”

“Not really, but what else would I expect from someone who turned a microwave into a bomb inside their own apartment?”

Tony laughed outright at that, his smiling face bright once again.

“I now realize why you were so intent on making sure no one found out about that little…apartment mishap. _Tony._ ”

The famous genius shook his head. “Wait, you _really_ had no idea who I was before?”

Loki shrugged. “I don’t particularly care to follow celebrity gossip.”

“You’re serious?” Tony asked again. “You _seriously_ didn’t recognize me at all?”

Loki snorted. “Not by sight, but your ego should have been a clue.”

“Hey!”

Loki nodded toward the still-open silver case. “So what is it that so threatened your father that he’s afraid to show it to the public?”

Tony looked from the case back to Loki, scrutinizing him with a satisfied, eager smirk. “You wanna see?”

“I believe I did ask.”

Tony waved Loki over immediately. He practically skipped back to the bench, sitting down and spinning the case around so Loki could see it a little better from where he stood.

It looked like a souped-up laptop, if anything. A microphone was attached where the track pad would normally be, and two long speakers were nestled between the screen and the inner walls of the case. The keyboard was surrounded by what appeared to be additional sensors for input, though Loki didn’t know enough about the technology behind them to be able to identify their use himself. Every inch of the briefcase was so jam-packed with components that if Tony had wanted to add anything else to the mix, there would be nowhere to put it.

Tony held out his arms in triumph. “Ta-da! Food Fairy, meet my boy JARVIS!”

“JARVIS?” Loki asked curiously, his eyes trying to make sense of what looked like a live-feed of various measurements displayed on the computer screen.

Tony leaned close to the erect microphone. “Say hello, J. Introduce yourself!”

A stilted but strong computerized voice emendated from the speakers almost immediately. Loki jumped in surprise.

“ _Hello. I am Just a Rather Very Intelligent System, though my creator often refers to me as JARVIS. I am a pilot True Artificial Intelligence system with real-time learning capabilities. It is a pleasure to meet you…_ ” There was a brief pause and a soft _whirring_ sound from somewhere within the system. “ _Loki Friggason_.”

Loki’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. He glanced over at Tony. “Why does it know my name?”

Tony tapped at a series of pinhole-sized dots all around the screen. “Top of the line image recognition! He scans your face, searches through his database, makes a match, and _bam_! Instant feedback! Neat, huh?”

He wasn’t too sure, to be honest. Loki shifted uncomfortably, regarding the computerized case with suspicion now. “It seems more like a breach in privacy.”

“No, no, you’re focusing on the wrong thing!” Tony cried hurriedly.

“ _If I may, Sir_ ,” the AI unexpectedly interrupted in its strange electronic voice. “ _I assure you, Mr. Friggason, that my databanks are limited to public knowledge and are used to access only immediately necessary information for the purposes of serving the needs of my creator._ ”

Loki was unabashedly staring at the screen now. Tony’s teeth were shining and his eyes dancing with boundless pride. Loki may not know a lot about computers, but he knew enough to know that the behavior it had just displayed was not something he had seen before.

“It…” Loki squinted at the AI. “…it answered. It _interrupted_ you.”

“Rude little bastard, ain’t he?” Tony laughed, patting the top of the briefcase. “Gets it from his old man, probably.”

“ _Of course, Sir_.”

Loki shook his head and let out a huff of laughter. “Tony, that is incredible. It can hold a live conversation? In real time?”

“ _Indeed, Mr. Friggason. I am programed to learn from every interaction to expand my knowledge of human behavior, linguistic patterns, and social etiquette_.”

Tony was practically vibrating with joy as he watched Loki interact with his creation.

“Remarkable…”

“Ain’t he? It’s, uh…it’s nice to have someone actually _acknowledge_ that for a change.” Tony leaned on his knee and rested his hand atop the case. “I’m still working on him, but…” There was a look of fond whimsey in the young man’s eyes. “…I think he’s going to end up being my biggest achievement. Just wish my dad’d give a damn about it.”

Loki nodded solemnly. “Yes, I’m quite familiar with the feeling of having a parental figure who all but refuses to see the worth of your efforts.”

Tony sighed. “Blows, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

The two were quiet for a short time, neither seeming to know where to take the conversation from there. Inside they could hear the muffled sounds of the party continuing on without them.

“ _Sir_ ,” JARVIS interrupted after a time. “ _I am afraid that my power is running low. Would you like me to initiate battery saving mode?_ ”

“Oh, um…nah, J, you did good tonight. Power down for a nap, you earned it. I’ll get you to an outlet later.”

“ _Thank you, Sir. Mr. Friggason, it was a pleasure to meet you_.”

Loki felt strange answering a literal machine, but it somehow seemed rude not to. “Likewise, JARVIS. Uh…sleep well.”

Loki watched the microphone and the rest of JARVIS’ sensors fold in on themselves. The few lights Loki could see turned off in succession and the computer screen went black. Tony closed the briefcase, locked it, and ran his hand over the shining outside of the case. It was hard to believe what such a small innocuous-looking piece actually contained. Perhaps Stark’s reputation as a technological prodigy actually held some weight.

“You wanna blow this pop stand?”

Loki blinked, looking back up at the AI’s creator as his mind returned to the present. “Beg your pardon?”

Tony snickered. “I asked if you wanted to get out of here.” He nodded back toward the clamor of the event. “Bar and buffet are open. They’ve got some great sliders this year.”

“Hmm,” Loki hummed as he looked the way Tony had gestured. “Perhaps,” he said slowly as he considered his options.

He had originally come, largely, for free food. The snacks he had been harvesting from the floating servers had been good. And, with the status of the event’s esteemed guests, there was no doubt in Loki’s mind that they must have gone all-out when it came to the main buffet as well. Not that Loki wanted to interact with any of the self-important pricks to sample the menu…and he doubted that Tony did either.

“What do you think of taking our meal to go?” Loki asked.

Tony took a second to catch on to his meaning, but soon blinked up at Loki in disbelief. “You know how much trouble I’d be in with Daddy Dearest if I up and left?”

“Who’s to say he has to _know_ you’ve left?”

“You…seriously want to, what, sneak out like a couple of kids with a curfew?”

Loki gestured for Tony to continue. “Well?” he prompted. “Do you?”

A smile slowly but surely pulled at Tony’s lips as he considered Loki’s idea. “Sounds like you’ve got some ideas floating around in that pretty head of yours. What’ve you got in mind?”

“Take our prime selections and enjoy them…elsewhere. Somewhere with a little less _hot air_ , perhaps?”

“Oh, I like the way you think,” Tony laughed, standing up. “You got a car?”

Loki gave him a look. “No, I delivered your little midnight snack by unicycle. Sorry to disappoint.”

“Okay, shut up. Let’s go raid Ramsey!”

The pair sought out the kitchens and snatched up a few trays that looked particularly good after they were placed on the carts to go out to the buffet. The two snickered and giggled together like school children as they hoarded their contraband just around the corner. Loki felt like a child again, a child in his element. He and Thor had regularly pulled little stunts like this growing up, and it was oddly exhilarating to walk in the steps of his younger self. It was _fun_ to cause a bit of harmless trouble, and Loki hadn’t realized until tonight just how much he had missed it.

“Aw man,” Tony moaned around another slider, a second already waiting in his other hand. “So damn good.”

Loki swatted at him. “Stop that or there won’t be any left for when we leave!”

Tony whined and protectively pulled his precious mini-burger out of harm’s way.

Loki looked over their delicious booty. “I’d say another tray of…desserts, maybe? Or do we need more?”

Tony shrugged and shoved another slider into his mouth. “Maybe,” he tried to say around the clear obstruction in his mouth, “What’s the plan after?”

“Where is the loading dock? Can we get to it?”

Tony swallowed and nodded. “Sure. I had to come here half a dozen times while they were setting up the place. I know this building like the back of my hand!”

“Good. We’ll bring everything there and I can pull my car around.”

Tony chewed thoughtfully, looking Loki over as if he was seeing him for the first time. “You’re serious about getting the hell out of where, aren’t ya?”

“Of course,” Loki replied with an offended frown.

The other young man broke into a smile. “I knew I liked you.”

He blinked.

“Most assholes are all talk.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “I am not like most,” he retorted.

“Didn’t deny the asshole part, though,” Tony pointed out.

“No,” he replied with a wink. “I didn’t.” Loki patted Tony on the shoulder. “Let’s start bringing these down to the loading dock.”

“Sure thing, Food Fairy!” Tony laughed as he grabbed the nearest tray. “I am going to get _so_ much shit for this. Never gonna hear the end of it.” He looked over his shoulder at Loki. “Let’s go!”

“Lead the way.”

The pair transferred their holdings safely to their rendezvous point and Loki left Tony and his easily-recognizable face to retrieve his vehicle from the valet. It was a relief to leave the loud mess of attendees for the comfortable familiarity of his car. Loki let out a centering breath and pulled away from the curb, driving down to the edge of the lot and, hoping to look like just another disoriented guest, turned around the corner of the building to head back to the loading docks. Tony was fiddling with his phone when Loki arrived, his face lit with an eerie glow from the screen. He looked up at the sound of the car’s approach and laughed while Loki put the car into park and stepped out.

“Holy shit, who’s is that?”

Loki opened the door to the back seat and glanced up at Tony with a curious expression. “What?”

Tony gestured to the Volkswagen.

“It’s _mine_ ,” Loki scowled.

“Seriously?”

“Is that so hard to believe?” he snapped back.

Tony held up his hands. “Sorry, sorry! Just caught me off-guard is all.”

Loki snorted, brushing by Tony to grab the first silver tray and bring it back to the car. “What,” he asked with clear annoyance as he loaded the back seat. “You assume that a lowly delivery driver cannot _possibly_ have a vehicle that isn’t falling apart at the seams, much less one of any sort of reputation?”

Tony swallowed and gave an awkward shrug as he watched Loki continue his work. “Well, uh…when you put it like that I sound like my old man, but…kinda? I mean, how many _other_ Dem Eats guys have a freaking Arteon?”

In lieu of an answer, Loki pursed his lips into a stern line of silence. He placed another tray of food into the back seat while Tony was doing the same across from him with a nervous look on his own face.

“Sorry.”

Loki closed the car door without replying.

“In case you haven’t notice, I’ve got no filter. I, uh, I’m an ass who says dumb shit…”

“Get in the car before I leave you here.”

“Ah….y-yeah, okay, sure.”

Tony dashed back to the dock to grab the silver briefcase sitting in wait and then hurried back to the car. Loki was already behind the wheel when the passenger door opened and the young man slid inside. He sighed and glanced at Tony out of the corner of his eye. They looked nervous. Good. Maybe the rich bitch would learn something.

Loki put the car in reverse.

“Keep your head down until we get to the main road. I don’t want the head of Stark Industries thinking I’m kidnapping his idiot son.”

Tony did as he was told, surprisingly without comment. For some reason that made Loki feel mildly concerned. He cleared his throat as they passed the sparkling lights of the Science Center’s soiree.

“So, where are we going?” Loki asked once they were in the clear.

Tony straightened up again, glancing around now that they were officially free. Loki looked over at him as they rolled up to a stoplight.

“Well?”

“Um…I don’t really know a lot of what’s around these parts, actually,” Tony said. “What, uh…what would you recommend?”

What _would_ Loki recommend? He hummed as he thought to himself. They had just escaped the confines of a formal social event. What would be a suitable follow up to that? He considered his company. Loki didn’t know Tony very well, admittedly, but he knew enough to make a guess as to what the so-called genius might like.

“Buckle up, Stark. I’m not getting pulled over and being charged with kidnapping.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're finally in the same room again!
> 
> Plus, baby Jarvis!!

**Author's Note:**

> This is totally not finished. I'm just desperate to post something so it feels like I'm making headway on a project.


End file.
